NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- As he led a 2-on-0 rush in the dying seconds of overtime Tuesday night, Roman Josi didn't know how much time was left.

But he had just enough time to feed Calle Jarnkrok for a game-winning shorthanded goal at 4:58 that gave the Nashville Predators a dramatic 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Bridgestone Arena.

Josi blocked Troy Stecher's slapper with about eight seconds left and pushed the puck out of the zone with Jarnkrok steaming down the right side. As Stecher tried in vain to catch Josi, the Nashville defenseman fed Jarnkrok in front of the post and Jarnkrok's wrister eluded Ryan Miller's glove as the crowd erupted in celebration.

"I blocked the shot off my foot and saw hope," Josi said. "I figured there was enough time left to finish the breakaway."

It was a stunning ending to what was shaping up as a potentially brutal loss for the Predators (18-16-7). They had two goals waved off, including Josi's apparent game-winner 20 seconds into overtime due to incidental contact on Miller by Viktor Arvidsson, and coughed up the lead in the last minute of regulation.

"I knew there was something like 5.4 left," Jarnkrok said. "It was enough left for us to get a goal."

What's more, the win went against both teams' post-regulation tendencies. Nashville entered the extra period just 1-7 in games decided after regulation, while Vancouver (20-19-4) was 9-3 in overtime/shootouts prior to Tuesday night.

When Josi's goal was wiped out by fill-in referee Evgeny Romasko, it looked like another ominous ending was about to occur for the Predators. And when Mattias Ekholm went off at 3:20 for holding Markus Granlund, the script called for a Canucks' power-play winner.

Instead, Vancouver never got a shot to Pekka Rinne. Stecher had three shots blocked, including the last one that led to Jarnkrok's sixth goal of the season. It was also the first overtime shorthanded goal in franchise history.

"We made it just under the gun," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "It was a beautiful play. Sometimes, you can catch a 2-on-1, 3-on-1 or even a 2-on-0 with a blocked shot -- if you can get out of jail."

For most of the night, the Predators dictated play against an opponent that entered the game just 5-13-1 on the road, even though they were playing without P.K. Subban, James Neal and Colin Wilson. When Austin Watson converted the rebound of Mike Fisher's errant point shot into his third goal at 35 seconds of the second period, they owned a 1-0 lead that looked pretty secure.

Rinne (15-11-6) was sharp in net, maintaining the edge with a handful of big saves. He turned away Henrik Sedin in the second period's final minute on two golden chances from point-blank range, then made a scrambling stop on Jack Skille's slapper with 3:01 left, diving back to the crease to cover the puck after it trickled behind him.

But less than a minute from his 42nd career shutout, Rinne couldn't deny Brandon Sutter's wrister from the right faceoff circle, the puck squeezing through his legs at 19:11 for Sutter's 11th goal and giving the Canucks a point.

However, Vancouver couldn't earn the second point as its power play failed to capitalize when it mattered most.

"I thought right from the start we played well," Canucks coach Willie Desjardins said. "It was a hard-fought hockey game. They're a team that needed a victory and they got it."

Miller (12-10-2) made 24 saves, but saw his five-game winning streak come to an end.

For Nashville, it was just its third win in 11 home games, dating back to Dec. 3. It's one that players and coaches hope can lead to the streak it will require to feel more secure about a Western Conference playoff spot.

"It was good for tonight," Laviolette said. "I'd like to think it will lead to some more good bounces. I liked the speed with which we played the first two periods."

NOTES: Vancouver D Chris Tanev (upper-body injury), who was hit by a slapper Friday night against Calgary and sat out a rematch in Calgary Saturday night, returned to the lineup, enabling the Canucks to ice six defensemen. ... Nashville LW Viktor Arvidsson (upper-body injury) returned to the lineup Tuesday night after a two-game absence. He was injured at Tampa Bay Thursday night. ... Vancouver scratched RW Anton Rodin, C Reid Boucher and D Ben Hutton (hand). ... Predators scratches were C Frederick Gaudreau and C Colin Wilson (lower-body injury).